Monthly Archives: April 2001

Oil Tank Farm Restoration

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Background:
newtank The automation and the de-staffing of the former Coast Guard-Operated Light Station on Great Race Rocks happened in 1997. This would normally have left the island without a generator, as all buildings and equipment were to be removed when the automated foghorn and the light were installed, there was theoretically no need for a generating station.

Lester Pearson College decided to hire the former keepers, Mike and Carol Slater, to stay on at the island as ecological reserve guardians. Since that time the Coastguard has cooperated to keep the equipment updated.
Two new double walled tanks that meet environmental standards were constructed next to the engine room on the island. Fortunately, the need for oil on the island will be reduced in the future when more Sustainable Energy Systems are developed.

Since the Coast Guard lease from the Provincial Environment and Lands Department was changed to reflect the decreasing envelope of use by the Coast Guard, the rest of the Island was then returned to the Province, and plans were made to include that as part of the Ecological Reserve. An agreement was made with Coast Guard and Provincial Environment officials as to what would constitute site remediation for the island.
tankThis image shows the 7 old fuel tanks used for energy. They were single walled tanks and they could have contributed to an oil spill in that sensitive environment. The concrete pool around the cradles was built to contain any leaks or spills

 

 

cradleIn the spring of 2000, they had planned to remove the concrete base for the oil drums as well, but it was considered that it may prove too much of an environmental impact given that the pigeon guillemots, sea gulls and black oystercatchers were establishing nesting territories .They agreed to put it off until a time in the year of minimal impact. It was decided that January and February would be ideal. By  May of 2001, the Canadian Coast Guard removed the set of 7 fuel old oil tanks from Great Race Rocks. These tanks had been installed in the 1970’s when the environmental regulations regarding such installations were not as stringent as they are today.

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rockviewOn January 16, 2001 the coast guard delivered by helicopter the equipment necessary for removal of the concrete tank farm retaining berm.
By mid- February, a large pile of concrete rubble was all that was left of the cradle.

. The concrete had been neatly pealed from the original rocks underneath and it was now ready for the next stage.. Removal by helicopter.

By the end of April 2001, the Coast Guard had completed the removal of all the concrete rubble by helicopter and the outcrop is restored to bare rock again.

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oldtank3We have attempted to keep out invasive plant species and have planted seeds from native grasses in the small crevices of the rock. The seagulls responded to this new extension of territory and within two years took it over as a nest site

These pictures were taken in February, 2005. From the tower, the area which contained the tank farm, is no longer distinguishable.
The rock outcrops have been recolonized by native plants.

We also watch for excessive growth of introduced invasive species, and selectively remove them by hand

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Link to the environmental restoration file

First Nations Cooperative Management of Protected Areas in British Columbia, Tools and Foundation

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The following excerpt presents the Te’Mexw Treaty Association assertion in response to the proposal for the  Race Rocks MPA in 1998. See bolding below:

First Nations Cooperative Management  of Protected Areas in British Columbia:
Tools and Foundation
by  Julia Gardner  Dovetail Consulting  April 2001

From page 9:

An ecosystem approach
The designation of special management zones in LRMPs recognizes that protected areas
cannot be managed as islands: buffers and connecting corridors beyond their boundaries
are needed to ensure that ecological integrity is protected. Similarly, marine protected
areas cannot protect marine biodiversity on their own – they should be implemented as a
part of integrated coastal zone management.
The management of protected areas on an ecosystem level is a priority that has been
brought into the public eye recently through the report of the Panel on the Ecological
Integrity of Canada’s National Parks (Parks Canada Agency, 2000) and the report of
B.C.’s Park Legacy Panel (MELP, 1999). There is growing recognition that the
ecosystems of protected areas cannot be protected without attention to the portions of
their ecosystems falling outside their boundaries, as opposed to being “islands in a sea of
development.”

In the marine setting, there is a parallel rationale for an ecosystem approach, often under
the label, “integrated coastal zone management.” But in this “sea of development” where
fluid ecosystems even more thoroughly defy protection via boundaries, some argue that
protected areas are contrary to the priority of protecting the whole environment. For
example, “The Nuu-chah-nulth believe that all marine areas should be treated respectfully
for the gifts that nature provides. The concept of establishing certain areas for favourable  protection while mismanagement occurs in areas outside of protected zones is foreign to
Nuu-chah-nulth principles” (Nuu-chah-nulth Tribal Council, November 13, 1998) Similarly, the Te’Mexw Treaty Association asserted in response to the proposal for the
Race Rocks MPA in 1998 that “It is the position of the Nations that a coordinated co-management program for the coast from Jordan River to Ten Mile Point would be the appropriate method by which conservation, harvest and priority for First Nations users can be integrated” (Moahan, 1998,p7). at the very least, MPAs need to be considered in their broader setting, including the watershed and the surrounding sea. 

A sixth key assumption is that land and sea are an integrated whole, so MPAs
alone cannot protect the marine environment. Nevertheless, we can usefully
consider the particular circumstances of protected areas in the water, so as to
increase their extent and effectiveness through cooperative management.

Webcast to New York Conference Spring, 2001

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During a presentation to the ETC conference at the United Nations School in New York in the spring of 2001, we tried out the underwater audio link from DIVELINK . An audio signal is relayed by SONAR for Ryan to a receiver near the docks. This receiver was connected to the audio input on the G3 laptop computer and to the shore tender as well. Both voices could be carried by the Sorenson Broadcaster first by wireless AirPort and then onto the internet. In this way we were able to communicate from underwater in the Pacific Ocean live by internet to the Altlantic coast. In this video, Ryan Murphy, a student at Pearson College, operates the device and the camera was operated by Jean-Olivier Dalphond, also a student at the college.

newyork_300.mov

Airport: Wireless Technology at Race Rocks

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In April 2001, The APPLE Learning Interchange supplied an AirPort wireless Base Station and three AirPort cards for the iMacs at Race Rocks. Now all cameras could run on Wireless computers at Race Rocks.
We started experimenting by using the AirPort base station for wireless web casting in June of 2000 . This link shows several pictures of the AirPort in use at that time

Ryan describing what the divers were videoing underwater during a presentation in the QuickTime Live Conference in California. The webcast was done wireless to the AirPort base station in the marine science centre

Anarrhichthys ocellatus: Wolf Eel –The Race Rocks Taxonomy

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Anarrhichthys ocellatus

wolfjas

This video shows Pearson College Diver Jason Reid with a wolf eel and was broadcast live in the Underwater Safari Program in October 1992

Description: Although the behaviors of the wolf eel are relatively limited at this moment, they still deem to be one of the most interesting species found in the waters. Its name originates from the greek word Anarhichas-– a fish in which the wolf eel resembles– and the latin word ocellatus which means eye-like spots. In general, Wolf-eels are easily to identify. There name suggests that they resemble eel like structures which range in colour from grey to brown or green. Starting from a young age, their coloration starts with a burnt orange spotted look graduallty changing into a dominant grey for males and brown for females. The males and females both have a dorsal fin that stretches from head to the end of their body. On average, a Wolf-eel is seen to possess a body of 2 meters long and characterized by a unique pattern of spots that appear to be individualized both in males and in females. In addition, the Wolf-eel possesses a large square head coupled with powerful jaws and canine teeth allowing for easier mastication– a beneficial adaptation to its environment of hard-shelled animals.
Classification:
Domain Eukarya
Kingdom Animalia
Phylum Chordata
Class Actinopterygii
SuperOrder Acanthoptergygii
Order Perciformes
SubOrder Zoarcoide
Family Anarhichadidae
Genus Anarrhichthys
Species ocellatus
Common Name: Wolf-eel

Habitat and Range: Wolf-eels can most abundantly be found from the sea of Japan and the Aleutian islands continuing southwards to imperial beach, Southern California. Wolf-eels live from barely subtidal waters to 740 feet (Love, 1996). The island of Racerocks is one of the sites in the Pacific Northwest in which the Wolf-eel can be found. Exploring the island, the most common places would be near the Rosedale reef and along the cliff near the docks. The rocky reefs and stony bottom shelves at shallow and moderate depths serve to be the abodes of the Wolf-eel. They will usually stake out a territory in a crevice, den or lair in the rocks. In addition, the Wolf-eel possesses a long, slender body which allows them to squeeze into their rocky homes. During the juveniles years of the Wolf-eel, they can most commonly be found in the upper part of the water, residing there for about two years. As the Wolf-eel ages, it will slowly migrate to the ocean floor and maintain an active lifestyle. Eventually, the Wolf-eel will find a rock shelter and “vegetate” for the remainder of its lifespan.

Diet: The adaptation of the Wolf-eel’s jaw to crush hard objects, as mentioned, deems to be beneficial for eating other organisms around its environment. The gourment delicacies that the Wolf-eel feeds upon are crustaceans, sea urchins, mussels, clams, snails some other fishes.

Mating and Other Interesting Facts: In aquaria, males and females form pairs at about 4 years of age and produce eggs at 7 years old. Spawning usually occurs from October into late winter. A male will butt his head against the female’s abdomen then wrap himself around her as a sign for a mating call. It has been found that the male fertilizes the eggs as they are laid and up to 10 000 eggs can be released at a single time. The father and mother will then wrap themselves around the egg masses and will guard the eggs for about 13-16 weeks when the eggs will then hatch. Possible predators that prey on the eggs include Benthic rockfishes and kelp greenlings. This process will continue periodically and repetitively for the lifespan of a Wolf-eel as it has been found that Wolf-eel’s mate for life.

Conservation Notes: At the moment, many fishers use rockhopper trawls to fish rough, rocky sea floors. This method causes the destruction of the rocky reefs in which the Wolf-eel resides. At the current moment, scientists are calling for a halt in the use of rockhopper trawls and an alternative method of using longline traps which don’t harm the rocky reefs.

References: Love, Milton, Probably more than you want to know about the fishes of the Pacific Coast: A humorous guide to Pacific fishes, California, Really Big Press, 1996, pg. 298
Lamb, Andy and Edgell, Phil, Coastal Fishes of the Pacific Northwest, BC Canada, Harbour Publishing, 1986, pg. 94.
Other members of the  Class Actinopterygii at Race Rocks.

taxonomyiconReturn to the Race Rocks Taxonomy
and Image File
pearsonlogo2_f2The Race Rocks taxonomy is a collaborative venture originally started with the Biology and Environmental Systems students of Lester Pearson College UWC. It now also has contributions added by Faculty, Staff, Volunteers and Observers on the remote control webcams.
Dec. 2001 Zaheer Kanji, (PC) Edmonton Alberta

 

Financial Proposal For Race Rocks Operation

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The following operational budget provided details of projected minimum operational expenses at Race Rocks for the period April 1, 2001 to March 31, 2002. The budget is based on our four years of experience in funding the Race Rocks project and the highly efficient operational format we have established. Pearson College guarantees to cover any cost over runs if they should occur.

It is proposed that the Department of Fisheries and Oceans, BC Parks, and Pearson College each contribute $50,000 to cover the 2001-2002 operating budget.

(Ed Note: As of 2012 Neither Provincial or Federal governments have responded to this request with any financial support. During that time Pearson College has raised funding separate from the college funding to maintain operations at Race Rock.)

Race Rocks MPA/ER
Operating Budget April 1, 2001 to March 31, 2002
Salaries
Eco-guardian(s)
42,000
Educator (1/2 time)
30,000
Shore-side support (1/3 time)
14,000
Benefits
9,460
95,460
Fuel
Generator
11,000
Heating
1,400
Boat
1,750
Lube/oils
2,000
16,150
Maintenance
Buildings
6,000
Generators
4,300
Water pumps
2,100
Desalinator
2,200
Winches
800
Boat and motor
4,700
Jetty
400
Fuel system
450
Radios
200
Diving equipment
2,500
23,650
Administration Costs
Phone
600
Insurance
1,800
Stationery/printing
1,150
3,550
Education Program
Classroom materials
4,500
Communication/outreach programs
2,500
First Nations’ program
5,000
Internet access
2,000
14,000
 
Total expenditures
$152,810